Means for mechanically focusing photographic lenses.



L. J. P. HOLST. MEANS FOR MECHANIOALLY FOCUSING PHOTOGRAPHIG LENSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1,1911. 1,029,296, Patented June 11, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wiimweeo L. J. R. HOLST. MEANs FOR MEGHANIGALLY FOCUSING PHOTOGRAPHIG LENSES.

APPLICATION FILED-JUNE 1 1911. 9 29 Patented June 11, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. J. R. HOLST.

MEANS FOR MEGHANICALLY FOGUSING PHOTOGRAPHIC LENSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1,1911.

Patented June 11, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

A TTORNE Y WITNESSES M 71 M mm 1; Dim.

7 art, forming considerations,

p for given proportions Figure 1, is a longitudinal side elevation OFFICE...

LODEWYK J'. R. HOLS'JL OF IZiANSIDOlITNE, PENNSYLVANTA, ASSIGNOB '10 WILLIAMS,

BROWN AND EARLE, ING., OI PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR HECHANICALLY FOCUSIN G PHOTOGBAPHIC I LENSES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 11, 1912. Applicationlled June 1, 1911. Serial 1T0. 880,628.

To all'whom it may concern:

' a it known that I, LODEWYK J. R. HoLs'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in Lansdowne, in'the county-of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Mechanically Focusing Photographic Lenses, of which the following isa specifica-- tion.

My resent invention in principle is based upon t e art of mechanica ly focusing pho tographic lenses forming the subject-matter of applications for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 625,529, filed by me under date of May 6th, 1911 and Serial N 0. 640,902 filed by me, July 27th 1911, and furthermore embodies modification in mechanism for carrying into effect the aforementioned the subject-matter. of an a plication for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 625,872, filed by me, under date of May 8th, 1911. The mechanism disclosed, in 1 my extended, and means for controlling shiftings thereof in respect to the object and image. Fig. 1, is a detail view, showing means, to regulate the standard focus, as hereinafter described; Fig. 2,

larged end elevational view of the mechanical elements and plate holding frame of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, is a plan view of the camera-bed, showing the chain connections between the lens and plate carriers and their respective slides.

Figs. 1,2 and 3, show an adaptation of my evice to a lens of twenty-four inch focus magn cation of six diameters to a reduction of six diameters. The supporting-bedplate 6', is attached ri idly to the camerabed 6, and on it are p aced the lens-slide 7, and plate-slide 8. The slide 7, carries a transversely rojecting pivot 'pin 9, hereinafter referre to as the driving point of the lens-slide 7, on which carrying the slide-rods naled. Slide-rod mmpanion' application for a United States patent, Serial No. 625,529, filed by meMay 6th 1911, is on account of purely mechanical limited in its adaptability to lenses of comparatively short focal length and is'not well suited for use with lenses of 12 inches focal length or more, which are used for photo-mechanical purposes. The focal length of such lenses range practically from 12 to 3 0 inches. The required displacements of the lens and object-support between object and Image are directly proportional to the focal length of the lens used, and it is the object of the present invention to provide means, whereby displacements of the magnitude reguired for lenses of'the before mentioned ocal length can be derived from a focusing mechanism of small mechanical proportions to insure accurate and satisfactory practical operations. I

The nature, scope and characteristic features of my present invention will be more fully un erstood from the following description taken in connection with the accompinylilng drawings forming parthereof, in w 10 11 and 12, is jour- 11 cooperates with the of the supporting bed-plate 6. The slide-rod 12, cooperates with the guide-block 12*, pivoted on the downwardly extending portion 13, of the plate-slide 8, which pivot is hereinafter referred to as the plate-slide driving point. In this constructional form the center of the ivot of guide-block 11, constitutes the ulcrum and the centers of the pivot 9, and the guide-block 12", constitute res ectively, the driving points of the lenssli e and plate-slide. The sup ort 15, attached to the stationary part of the mechanism carries the pivot 15*, of the operating lever 15, to which at its upper end the double connector 17, is pivoted to the rod 14.. The other end of the connector 17, is pivoted to an u ward extension 7, of the lens-slide 7, there y transmitting the driving power exerted on the handle 16, to the said slide. This mechanism will thus produce conjugate distances between the fulcrum and the driving point on the lens-slide and between the dIlVlDg points on said slides, corresponding to a focal length equal to the height of the pivot 9, above the imaginary line uniting of a form of focuslng means as applied to the fulcrum center with the center of the cameras used for hoto-mechamcal urdriving point on-the plate-slide. Fig. 1',

poses, showing the o ject, the lens support shows 1n detail how the pivot-pin 9', is adis an enving adjustments ranglng from aguide-block 11, pivoted in an extension 6",

the center-plate 9,

armed lever-rod 14, 1s pivoted. At 14", a

justable in the slot 7", of the lens-slide 7, by means of the block 9, in which said pin 9, is securely fastened, and which block is adjustable by means of the screw-stud 9', an the lock nuts 9 and 9 bearing respectively against the upper and lower face of the platen'7 which is attached to the lensslide 7. This height is called the standard focus of the apparatus and the conjugate distances. before mentioned are called the standard conjugate distances. From the mathematical formula determining the relation between the focus and the conjugate foci, as fully described in my before mentioned application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 625,529, under date of May 6th, 1911, it is seen that these values are all in direct proportion to each other, that is, that with the increase and decrease of the principal focusboth conjugate foci increase and decreasein the same ratio. thus the actual equivalent focus of the lens used in Fig. 1, is four times larger than the standard focus of the mechanism, the actual conjugate-foci, for given proportions of object and image, will also be four times-larger than the standard conjugate foci produced by the focusing mechanism as so far described, and it will be necessary to provide means to magnify the displacement of the lens slide 7, and the plate-slide 8, also in ratio of four to one, in order to drive the lens 18, and the plate-carrier 8 through the required distances; This is accomplished-as follows: At either end of the camera bed 6}, transverse spindles 20 and 20*, Figs. 1 and 3, are suitably supported, and on portions of, these spindles projecting outside the camera bed 6*, sprockets 21, 22 and 21, 22, are mounted. -The sprocket 22 is fast on the spindle 20, and the sprocket 21, is fast on the spindle 20, whereas the sprockets 22 and 21, are freely mounted on their respective spindles. Acchain or other suitable flexible band 22", is fastened to the extension 7 of the slide 7 and passes around the sprocket 22, thence around the sprocket 21, and is fastened with its other end to the extension 7, thus forming an endless band, and causing the sprocket 22 and the s indle 20*, to rotate in harmony with the siding movement of the lens slide-7. Between the two members of the camera bed 6, a sprocket 23, is keyed to the shaft 20, and a similar sprocket 23, is freely mounted on the corresponding point of the shaft 20. An endless chain 23, is stretched around these sprockets which are four times as large in diameter as the sprockets 22 and 21, so that the chain 23', will travel four times as far as the chain 22", and the slide 7, and consequently will produce the required displacements for the lens 18, which by means of the lens support 24, and its downward extension 23", is attached to the chain 23. In an entirely similar manner afour fold increased movement of the plate slide 8, is transmitted to the plate support 8*, by means of the small sprocket 21, keyed to the shaft 20, the loose sprocket 22, revolving freely on the shaft 20*,and the four large sprockets 25, 25 26'and 26*, respectively keyed to the shaft 20, and freely revolving on 20, the endless chain 21*, extension 8", of the plate slide 8, rotates the sprocket 21*, inharmony with the movements of the saddle 8, which rotation is transmitted by the shaft 20 to the sprockets 25 and 25, keyed thereto, and finally by the chains 25? and 26 to the downwardly extending projectionsS and 8, of the plate carriers 8. 1

For the sake of clearness of description, the standard focus of the apparatus has been assumed to be six inches and the equivalent focus of the lens as 24 inches, resulting in a gear proportion of one to four. It will be however, seen that by making the standard focus of the apparatus adjustable between say 6 and 7, inches, it is possible to adapt the mechanism for use in connection with lenses of any focal length between the limits of 12 and 28 inches, and thus make it useful for almost all practical working conditions existing in the photo-mechanical trade, when using gear proportions of 1 to 2, 1 to 2%, 1 to 3, 1 to'32 and- 1 to 4, and it is alwayspossible to divide the focallength of lenses ranging from 12 to 28 inches by one of these factors, to obtain a quotient falling between 6 and 7 For instance, if thelens be of 19.35 inch focal length, the gear proportion 1 to 3, is selected and the standard focus of the mechanism is adjusted at E =6A5 inches.

The pivot 9, is then adjusted at a height of 6.45 inches above ing point of the oint and the mechanism will produce conugatedistances for a lens of 19.35 inches in focal length.

The mode of operation of the focusing means illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, as used in connection with a lens of focus, is as follows :-The operating lever 15, is moved until the distance between the centers of the two oscillating guide-blocks 11 and 12 is equal to twelveinches. \Vith the mechanism set to such adjustment which is called the unit position, the frame 24, of the camera, the distance between the first nodal point of the lens and the object surface is equal to twice the focal length of the lens or 48 inches. the downwardly In this position projecting arm 23", shown in Fig. 1, is

the shaft attached to the the line uniting the drivsaddle with the fulcrum firmly secured to the endless chain 23*, pass-,

24 inch I lens holding is placed so that:

mg over the sprocketwheel 23, placed in the middle of the camera-bed 6, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The plate-holding frame 8, is now adjusted so that the distance between the image plane and the second nodal point of the lens 18, is also equal to twice the focal length, in which position it is firmly attached to each of the two endless chains 25 and 26", passing over the large sprocketwheels 25 and 26 and 25 and 26", 'on either side of the camera-bed 6". Both the camera approached the on, the further movement of and the focusing mechanism are now in the correct adjustment for a reproduction 111 equal size of the object, and any change in position of the lens slide 7, caused bythe movement of the operating lever 15, will cause a proportionately increased movement of the lens 18, whereas the simultaneous movement ofthe plate slide'8, will cause the image-support, to be moved to' the corresponding position for a sharp image of a size determined by thedistance between lens and object. a

With reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the arrangement of the operating lever 15, the double-armed lever 14, and the link 17, which connects the latter to the extension 7, of the plate-slide, is such that when the lever 15 is moved toward the right, that is, toward the plate-holding end of the camera, the lens-slide .7, will also move toward the right, whereas the plateslide 8, will movetoward the left, that is,

toward the lens-slide of the camera, while. the pivot-pin 9, simultaneously causes the rbd 11, to assume a more slanting position, and the rod 12, to assume a more upright position. The continued movement of the lever 15, will cause the pivot 9*, to reach a point in which both the rods 11 and 12' will make an angle of 45, with the imaginary line draw' through the centers of the oscillatory guides 11 and 12, which position, as already stated, is known as the unit-position. Up to the moment that-this position is reached, the motion of the lensslide 7, and the plate-slide 8, continues to be in opposite directions, but from this point the lever 15, toward the ri 'ht, will cause both slides to move toward the right, the lens-slide always moving faster than the plate-slide, and thereby continually decreasing the distance between the lens and the plate and increasing the distance of both of these elements from. the object surface 19, until finally the position for maximum. enlargement has been reached, when the plate has returned to the same point as occupied in the position for maximum reduction, while the lens has late to within the same distance as it had fromthe object when in the posit-ion of maximum reduction, which latter position is that in which Fi 1, shows the mechanism. It will thus be 0 car that a carrying an oscil illustrated is of preferred construction, it is nevertheless obvious that it may be modified to suit difierent purposes without thereby departing from the nature as well as scope of my said invention as defined by the claims.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a focusing apparatus, a support, a plate-slide and a lens-slide carrying a pivot, adapted to movealong said support, a lenscarrier, means operatively connecting the same with said lens-slide, a plate-carrier, means operatively connecting the same with said plate-slide, rods arranged at right angles to each other and operatively connected with said support and slides, and operating means adapted to shift the pivot of said lens-slide by one continuous forward move ment, or by-one continuous backward movement, to cause .said lens-slide and said plateslide to move, partly in the same direction and partly in opposite directions through the entire range of their relative adjustment from the position of maximum reduction to the position of maximum magnification.

2. In a focusing apparatus, a support carrying an oscillatory fulcrumed slide-block, a lens-slide carrying a. pivot, and a plate-slide atory slide-block, rods arranged at right angles to each other, rotatably suspended on said pivot and; respectively engaging said slide-blocks to fthereby control the relative movement of said lensslide and plate-slide, a lens support, means operatively connecting the same with said lens-slide, a plate support and means operatively connectin the same withsaid plateslide, said operative connections causing the ratio of the movements of the lens-slide and lens-carrier to be equalto the ratio of the movements of the rier.

3. In a focusing apparatus, a lens-slide, a support for said slide, a plate-slide adapted to travel along said support, oscillatory guides, rods arranged at right angles to each other and pivoted at the point of their intersect-ion to said lens-slide, said rods engaging said oscillatory guides pivoted respectively on said support and plate-slide, a lens-carrier, means operatively connecting the same with said=lens-slide, said operative connections causing the driving point of said lens-slide and said lens-carrier to assume simultaneously corresponding points in their trajectories, a plate-carrier, and means opplate-slide and plate-curplate-slide,

cratively connecting the same with said said last named operative conthe'driving point of said plate-slide and said plate-carrier to simultaneously assume corresponding points of their respective trajectories.

' 4. In a focusing apparatus, a support carrying a fulcrum,

travel 'along adapted to tr a lens-slide adapted to said support, a plate-slide avel. along said support, oscillatory guides, one of which constitutes a fulcrum slide, a

set ofrods arranged at right angles to each other and pivoted at the point of thelr intersect-ion to-said lens-slide, said rodsengaglng said oscillatory guides,

the fulcrum sl de formed by one of said guides being pivoted inthe fulcrum carried by said support and the other guide being pivoted to sai d plate-slide to control thereby the relative movements of said lens-slide and plate-slide, operating levers ada ted to shift the suspension point of said ro support, a lens-carrier, a plate-carrier, connections between said lens-slide and lens-carrier, and connections between said plateslide and plate-carrier to cause said lensslide and plate-slide to reach points in their trajectories simultaneously with the arrival ofsaid lens-carrier and plate-carrier respectively in corresponding points of their respective trajectories.

' In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses hereto.

' LODEVVYK J. R'HOLST. Witnesses J. WALTER DOUGLASS,

THOMAS M. SMITH.

s along said 

